The Darkest Sunrise
by TabbyOfTheSun
Summary: Tara has amnesia, Ian has a mission, and Cody has anger management issues. Can these three demigods survive on a dangerous quest? More importantly, can they learn to work together without killing one another? Lots of feels, lots of sarcasm, lots of drama, and lots of appearances by some of your favorite PJO characters! (Lots of Nico coming in later chapters! Among others.)
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own most of these characters, although I wish I did. The only ones I do own are Tara, Ian, Cody, Stevie, and Tim. I also do not own Camp Halfblood or the wonderful world created by everyone's favorite troll.

Feedback is always welcome. :)

TARA's P.O.V:

CHAPTER ONE: Are Demigods on the Monsters' Menu?

The monsters must think I'm delicious. They won't stop chasing me. I'm running as fast as I can when I suddenly slip down a big hill. Pain shoots through my body but I can't stop to think about it. They're coming. I don't have time to slow down.

I've been running for as long as I can remember. Literally, I woke up one day with absolutely no memories. My head hurt, so I'm pretty sure that's how I lost them. That was three months ago.

These monsters are really ugly. One of them only has one eye and it keeps staring at me. I'm trying not to focus on them and to just keep running but it's sort of hard to ignore.

I glance over my shoulder for a split second and slam right into someone else. With my luck, it's another monster. I look up, preparing for whatever I might see, but it's not a monster. It's just a boy who looks fairly annoyed to see me.

"Run!" I shout.

The boy sees the monsters closing in on us and follows my lead. After about two minutes, he grabs my hand and pulls me into a dark spot in the forest. The monsters run right by us.  
I catch my breath. Now I can feel the pain in my ankle and the rest of my body. I curse. The boy bends down and looks at my ankle.

"It's just a sprain," he decides. "You'll be fine."

"Who are you?" I ask.

"Cody, son of Ares. And you?"

I assume he isn't talking about the Greek god, but some other guy named Ares. I mean, if he was talking about a mythological figure, he'd be insane… Except we are being chased by mythological figures. Maybe it's not so impossible.

"I'm Tara," I say. He is silent, so I add, "Daughter of Mike and Tina Rogers."

He shakes his head. "You don't know yet. Okay, I hate to break this to you, but you're a demigod, Tara. Whoever your godly parent is obviously hasn't claimed you yet."

"Sure, dude, whatever you say."

"Why do you think the monsters keep chasing you?"

"I assumed they wanted to eat me."

"Some of them probably do, but it's more than that. You're a hero, Tara, and they don't like us very much."

Out of nowhere, another boy appears. He's kind of cute and looks absolutely terrified. He's insanely quick and nearly runs by us, but Cody grabs him and pulls him into our hiding spot. He has to keep his hand over the boy's mouth to muffle his screams.

"Relax, kid! I'm not gonna hurt you," Cody insists.

The boy hesitates but stops screaming. Cody takes his hand off of his mouth. "I don't suppose you know who you are?"

"I'm Ian," the boy says. His voice is shaking, but he is quickly regaining his composure. "Son of Hermes."

"Is there some secret society I'm unaware of? What's with claiming to be the offspring of gods?" I ask.

"I told you, you're a demigod. I need to get you two to the Camp so I can get back to my Quest," Cody says.

"Quest? Are you one of those weirdo role players or something? I'm sorry, but I don't play Dorks and Dragons."

"Just shut up and do what I say. We aren't far. For some stupid reason, I went in a giant circle and ended up back here. I'm trying to get across the country."

"What's wrong? Big bad son of Ares can't read a map? It's okay, dude. Your hair is blond. I get it."

He glares at me. Maybe I've gone too far. He looks like he might hit me, but Ian steps between us.

"Let it go," he tells him.

"I don't take orders from you, Son of Hermes," Cody says.

"You obviously don't want to be bothered by us. Drop us at Halfblood and we'll be fine."

"You know about the Camp?"

"My father told me about it. I've been trying to find it for two weeks now, but I keep getting attacked."

"So the monsters think you're delicious, too?" I ask.

Ian blinks at me, then laughs. "Yeah, I guess so."

"Come on. I don't have time for this," Cody says. He leads the way. Ian and I obediently follow in silence, but every few feet, Ian makes a different funny face at me and I keep giggling.

When we get there, I feel the difference in the air. I can't explain it, but I feel safe for the first time I can recall.

A pair of boys meet us at the entrance. Normally, I wouldn't mind being surrounded by cute boys, but I'm still a little bit freaked out.

"Yo, Stolls," Cody says. "New blood here."

"Did you just call them trolls?" I ask.

One snickers. "No, but you're close. I'm Travis Stoll. This is my brother Connor. We're the heads of the Hermes cabin. Welcome to Camp Halfblood."

"Take them. I've got to get back to my Quest," Cody says.

"No you don't," the one named Connor says. "Rachel sent an Iris Message. Your Quest has been cancelled. Sorry Dude."

"Cancelled? What the Hades?"

"You must have screwed up, Man," Travis says.

"Are you guys punking me?"

"For once, no. We're serious."

"Where are Chiron and Mr. D? This has to be a mistake."

"Uh, in the Big House. You know, like usual? They've got a rousing game of pinochle going," Connor says.

Cody pushes past the brothers, leaving Ian and I staring after him. "So, yeah, hi! I'm Tara," I say to break the awkward silence. "This is Ian."

"Son of Hermes," Ian adds.

"Brother!" Connor declares. He flings his arms around him. Ian is too stunned to react.

"Sister?" Travis asks me.

"No clue," I say.

"Can I hug you inappropriately anyway?" He wiggles his eyebrows at me.

"Uh, no."

"Darn. I will break down your barriers of steel eventually, Woman!"

"Have fun with that."

"Oh, he will," Connor assures me. I'm not sure if I like these boys or not. They're sort of hard to read.

"So you're unclaimed, eh?" Travis asks me. "That means you're in our cabin until your godly parent identifies him or herself! We'll be spending a lot of time up close and personal… I could totally get down with that."

Suddenly, the three boys are staring above my head. "What?" I ask. "Is there a U.F.O. landing on me or something?"

"Ha! I guess Apollo doesn't want you sneaking into his daughter's bed tonight," Connor says. He's laughing hysterically.

"Excuse me? Could you clue me in please?"

"There's a golden lyre above your head, chick," Connor informs me between laughing fits. "That's Apollo's symbol of power. Your daddy just claimed you."

"My father is Mike Rogers. What the hell is wrong with all of you?"

"Sorry, but it looks like your mom has been lying to you," Travis said. "Still, at least we're not siblings…"

"Dude, her world just got flipped. Cut the flirting," Connor says.

"Wait," I say. "My head keeps telling me my parents are Mike and Tina Rogers, but I just remembered… I don't remember anything. I woke up three months ago with no memories, but when Cody starting announcing his father's name, their names just came to me… So am I remembering them, or did I just make up parents?"

"That's a pretty good question," Ian says.

"Come on, guys. We'll take you to the Big House and see if Chiron can sort this out," Travis says.

"Because Mr. D won't be bothered," Connor adds. "He'll just be like, 'another demigod. Can't you see my excitement?' He's not really into interacting with us, let alone helping us find out the mysteries about ourselves."

The two of them lead the way. I follow them in silence, more confused than ever.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I do not own most of these characters, although I wish I did. The only ones I do own are Tara, Ian, Cody, Stevie, and Tim. I also do not own Camp Halfblood or the wonderful world created by everyone's favorite troll.

Feedback is always welcome. :)

IAN's P.O.V:

CHAPTER TWO: Camp Full of Crazy

I have to admit, I'm slightly overwhelmed. When I first heard about Camp Half Blood, I pictured, you know, a summer camp. A bunch of kids messing around making arts and crafts and stuff like that. This place is sort of hard core.

"So, this is our cabin," Connor tells me and Tara. He motions toward another cabin. "That's the Apollo cabin, Tara. They're good people. Do you like archery? Or music? Or singing while aiming a bow and arrow at a target?"

"I... Um... I don't know?" Tara answers.

I feel bad for her. It's got to suck not knowing where you come from. At least I have some idea about my past. I was born and raised in New Jersey, Land of the Lame. I was my mother's only child, and apparently I am the son of Hermes. My mom died before I went on the run. I watched a hell hound eat her. It's not something I like to talk about. Let's move on.

"So, what do people do for fun around here?" I ask.

"Capture the Flag, Dude. It's awesome," Travis informs me. Somehow, I know it's not the lame camp game I'm used to.

"We also train. A lot," Connor says. "And if you're bored, you can go look at the pretty airheads in the Aphrodite cabin. They enjoy being gawked at. Or, better, you can toss something at them saying it's for the prettiest person there and they'll fight for it! Heck, the guys might even fight over it, too." He smirks at me.

Tara looks overwhelmed. I slip my hand easily into hers and squeeze it. She gives me a look of appreciation.

"So what's the Big House?" I ask.

"That's where Mr. D and Chiron usually are," Travis explains. "They're in charge here. I mean, technically, Mr. D is in charge, but Chiron does all the work. Mr. D sort of hates his job."

"If they're in charge, shouldn't we meet them?" Tara asks.

"You will," Connor promises. "Well, Chiron at least. But you don't want to be there while a Son of Ares throws a temper tantrum, trust me."

I kind of do, actually. I'm curious. I keep that opinion to myself. "What do we do in the meantime?" I ask instead.

"Let me show you where we keep our best pranking supplies, Brother," Travis says. "Tara, you can come, too, if you can keep a secret." He flashes a flirtatious smile at her.

Tara rolls her eyes. "Well, I don't have anything better to do, so sure," she says.

"Of course you don't. Nothing is better than hanging out with us!" He pulls her away from me and guides her forward, leaving me to follow with Connor. I'm mildly annoyed, mainly because I can tell Tara isn't interested in Travis or his flirtations.

"Don't mind him," Connor says to me quietly. "He's harmless."

"He'd better be," I say. "Tara's confused enough. She doesn't need more drama."

"He's more comedy than drama, I promise."

I nod and follow my new brother toward whatever hiding place he's going to. It's weird to think I have brothers all of a sudden. I've always been an only child. Accepting this new fact is going to be difficult. How is someone supposed to behave with a brother? Travis and Connor seem to have it down pat, but I'm new to all this.


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I do not own most of these characters, although I wish I did. The only ones I do own are Tara, Ian, Cody, Stevie, and Tim. I also do not own Camp Halfblood or the wonderful world created by everyone's favorite troll.

Feedback is always welcome. :)

CODY's P.O.V:

CHAPTER THREE: I Murder A Dummy

I am not a patient guy, so waiting until Mr. D and Chiron finish their game isn't working for me. "Come on already!" I say angrily. "What the hell is going on? What happened to my quest?"

Chiron finally looks in my direction. Mr. D continues to ignore me, but I'll take what I can get. "Chiron, seriously, I know I ended up back at Camp but I have a quest. An _important _quest! Rachel said it was major, so what the hell was it?"

"I'm afraid our Oracle did not tell me that. Maybe you were simply meant to meet the two new Demigods," Chiron says simply.

"Dude, that's not a quest, that's a babysitting mission! Besides, the Stolls told me it was cancelled, not completed. So what the hell?"

"Maybe you screwed up, Kid," Mr. D says. "Now if you don't mind, I'm about to win."

"No, you aren't," Chiron says, making some move and pissing Mr. D off. I don't understand the game, and I don't care.

"No fair! I had it!" Mr. D protests.

"Can we focus?" I ask. "Because, seriously, quests don't just get cancelled."

"Yours did. Oh well. Take it up with the Gods. They change their minds all the time. Except on important things. I mean, Diet Coke? Did he really have to stick with that one?" Mr. D sounds like he's in agony. I know the feeling. This entire conversations is leaving me in agony, too.

"Whatever," I say. If I can't get a straight answer out of those two, I guess I'll have to deal, but if Rachel shows her face at camp, I just might punch her in it.

I walk toward my cabin in a pretty pissed off mood. It's my sister Clarisse who finds me. "Weren't you supposed to be on a quest?" She asks.

"Apparently, it's done," I say dryly.

"That was fast. Too fast. What happened?"

"I have no idea. They cancelled it."

Clarisse looks like she might mock me, but she sees something in my face and doesn't. "No big deal. You'll get another one. I'm sure there's a reason for this."

Clarisse is being nice? I must look pathetic. I try to plaster rage on my face. I am the son of Ares! Rage is my only true emotion!

"I need to punch something," I say.

Clarisse leads me in silence to a training area. There are some tackling dummies set up. I go straight for one and imagine Rachel's stupid little ginger face plastered on its head. Pretty soon, I'm beating the hell out of it. I barely notice when Clarisse pulls me up and says, "Enough!"

"What?" I ask.

"Your hand's bleeding. You went kind of overboard for a dummy."

She's right. I can see blood trickling down my right hand. The cuts are actually pretty deep. What the hell just came over me? Maybe I invoked rage a little too strongly. The dummy is broken, it's head covered in blood, the stuff that once lived inside of it now all over the ground.

"Crap," I say.

"Calm down, okay? You're useless like this."

I want to scream at her that I'm not useless, but this time, she's right. I take a deep breath and begin to bandage my hand.


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I do not own most of these characters, although I wish I did. The only ones I do own are Tara, Ian, Cody, Stevie, and Tim. I also do not own Camp Halfblood or the wonderful world created by everyone's favorite troll.

Feedback is always welcome. :)

TARA's P.O.V:

CHAPTER FOUR: I Plot My Escape

I really don't know what to think about any of this. Hours ago, I had no memories except of monsters trying to eat me, and now I'm being told my father is a God and I have siblings. I don't particularly feel like I fit in, so I wander toward the perimeter of camp. Everyone else is at dinner. It probably wouldn't be that difficult to make a break for it.

I weigh my odds. No one's watching me as far as I can tell, but at a camp for demigods, who knows what kind of security measures they have in place? If I run, will I be captured, killed, or tortured? Worse, if I run, will anyone actually care?

It's been a lonely three months. It might be nice if someone cared about me.

I make up my mind. I'm about to cross the barrier when I suddenly hear a very cheerful, "Are you lost?"

Curses. Foiled again!

I look up and see a really cute guy with blonde hair and the most gorgeous aura I've ever seen looking back at me. "Not really," I manage to reply.

He smiles at me and I know he knows I was trying to run. "Tara, right? I'm Will Solace, leader of the Apollo cabin and your big brother."

_Oh gross,_ I think. _I just found my own brother attractive. That can't be kosher.___

"Yeah," I say. "That's me."

"Dinner's this way," he says, still cheerful as ever.

"I'm not hungry."

"No offense, but you look like you haven't eaten in a few days."

I haven't, but I don't admit that to him. I just want to be left alone. I wish my life could be normal for, like, ten seconds.

He softens, putting the perkiness aside. "Tara," he says gently, "I know this is a pretty scary time for you, but you don't have to go through it alone. Not anymore. You have family here."

Family. I don't even know who my family members actually are, so I guess I should take what I can get. "I'm sorry," I say. "I'm just overwhelmed."

"I get that, and it's okay. I just don't want you to think you have to hide, or run away. We're here for you. I promise, we take care of our own."

He seems to genuinely care. Maybe I should let him be nice to me. Besides, no one's ever taken care of me, as far as I remember. My own Godly parent waited until I was a teenager to claim me. Unless, of course, he claimed me before and I just don't remember, but still... Man, this amnesia thing sucks. Should I be mad at Apollo or am I being unfair? How am I supposed to know?


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: I do not own most of these characters, although I wish I did. The only ones I do own are Tara, Ian, Cody, Stevie, and Tim. I also do not own Camp Halfblood or the wonderful world created by everyone's favorite troll.

Feedback is always welcome. :)

IAN's P.O.V:

CHAPTER FIVE: I Get A Message Via Rainbow Mail

Dinner should be a relatively uneventful occasion, but apparently not at Camp Half Blood. The food is amazing and I realize suddenly how hungry I actually am. I'm at the very crowded table for Cabin Eleven along with all of my new siblings. I was raised an only child. This is a really new concept for me.

"Pranksters!" Travis calls to the others. "Attention! To those who haven't met the latest criminal to arrive at camp, this is Ian. Embrace our brother and teach him our wicked ways!"

This is followed up with something along the lines of "Huzzah!" I am very confused.

"Hermes is the God of thieves," Connor explains.

"I know," I say.

"How gifted are you with kleptomania?"

I have never stolen anything in my life. Okay, that's a lie. I stole a pack of baseball cards once, but I was six, and my mom said I couldn't have it, and I wanted it, so... Yeah.

"It's not something I really mess around with," I say.

"Don't worry," Connor says. "We'll teach you."

I glance around, wondering how Tara is adjusting. She's sitting next to her own new siblings, but I can tell she's not happy to be there. I look for Cody, who looks like unhappiness is his permanent state of being. He glares at me and I wonder what I could have possibly done to piss him off already.

"Campers! Gather round!" Chiron calls. I know who he is because my new brothers told me he's a Centaur. Everyone stops talking and messing around to pay attention to him. "Our Oracle has sent another Iris message.

Now everyone seems especially interested. Cody is practically foaming at the mouth. A harsh-looking girl sitting next to him has to hold his arm to keep him sitting down.

Chiron dramatically continues to speak. "Ahem... 'Thrice around the globe they'll go. Where this leads, they do not know. Thrice to here and thrice to there, and thrice about until somewhere. The Gods hath spake, this quest shall take three brave souls to achieve the goals."

I wonder if all prophecies are so cryptic and strange. Who is this Oracle, anyway?

"Who's it about, Chiron?" Travis asks.

"According to Miss Dare, it appears to be about our two new campers." Chiron has barely gotten the words out of his mouth when Cody shakes off the girl's arm, stands up, and stomps away in protest.

"Idiot," the girl mumbles. I try not to laugh. This is not a funny moment. Did Chiron seriously just say that I have to go on some quest? With Tara, who has no knowledge of this stuff at all? Or anything, for that matter, given her amnesia... I am starting to freak out. We are finally safe, and they want to kick us out? How are we supposed to do this alone?

"It said 'three,' right?" Tara asks. I'm surprised she has enough of a clear head to speak.

"Yes. You and Ian may choose a third person to go with you," Chiron says. Everyone looks at the two of us. I shrink away. How am I supposed to choose a stranger to guide me?

"I can go," Connor offers.

"No way. I'm a better guide," Travis says.

"Are not!"

"Are too!"

"I'm smarter!"

"I'm cuter!"

"Okay, so, neither of you," Tara says. "I would hate to break up the brothers, and since we can take only one..."

Gods bless this girl. I nod. "She's right. It would be wrong to take one of you over the other," I agree.

The guy sitting with Tara says, "I can go with you if you want."

"No, Will. You're the leader of the Apollo kids. I don't want to take you away from them," Tara replies quietly.

"Then who will it be?" Connor asks.

"Cody," the girl who was sitting with him says. "Cody's quest was cancelled for the two of you. He's the third. He's got to be. It's the only thing that makes sense."

"Clarisse may well be correct," Chiron says.

"Cody's not our biggest fan," I protest.

"It's not about being friends," the one named Clarisse says. "It's about destiny."

Destiny is a funny thing. Maybe she's right. Tara doesn't look thrilled, but she seems to be coming to the same conclusion as I am. Cody is probably the third for our quest.

Our quest? Does that mean I've accepted it?

"Will you brave Demigods accept your quest?" Chiron asks me, as if he has read my mind.

"Yes," I say, not even realizing I'm speaking.

"Yes," Tara echoes, much quieter.

"Excellent! Eat well. You leave at sunrise."

Everyone goes back to eating like nothing happened. I pick at my food, suddenly nervous. Tara pushes her plate aside. I wonder who is going to give Cody the news. I hope it doesn't have to be me. I'm not sure I want to travel the world with that guy, but it looks like I don't have a choice.


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: I do not own most of these characters, although I wish I did. The only ones I do own are Tara, Ian, Cody, Stevie, and Tim. I also do not own Camp Halfblood or the wonderful world created by everyone's favorite troll.

Feedback is always welcome. :)

CODY's P.O.V:

CHAPTER SIX: I May Need Anger Management

I am ready to go beat the Hades out of another dummy or maybe to go find Miss Rachel Elizabeth Dare in the flesh when a small voice calls out to me.

"Um... Mr. Cody, Sir?" The little boy asks.

Two kids stand in front of me. Their names are Stevie and Tim. Tim is nine. He's one of our youngest campers and he's afraid of his own shadow. I know he's terrified of me, but whoever sent him probably knew I wouldn't beat the hell out of him. He always calls everyone older than him "Sir," probably because their dad was British and raised them to be super respectful of their elders. Stevie is his older sister. She's eleven going on nineteen. They've been at Camp Half Blood for nine months, since their father died in a car wreck. Their mother claimed them right after the accident, doing the unheard of and manifesting to bring them to Camp herself. Of course, Aphrodite often disobeys the norms. I guess she thinks she can get away with it because she's gorgeous or something.

"What is it, Kid?" I ask. I try to sound harsh and scary, but I don't have the heart. Tim always looks so lost and broken and afraid. It's wrong to pick on him.

"I-I-um... Mr. Chiron said you're going to be included on the new quest."

I stare at him and I must look angry because he flinches. Stevie glares at me. "No shooting the messenger, Son of Ares," she says. I suspect she wants to call me son of something else, but she resists the urge. That little girl has guts. I kind of like the kid.

"How am I on the quest?" I ask.

"Mr. Chiron says you're going to lead the other two on their path," Tim tells me.

"Babysitting. Again? What the fu-" I catch myself. "Er... What the Hades is up with that?"

"No clue. Just go pack your stuff up. You leave at dawn," Stevie informs me. "Come on, Timmy. Let's go."

Tim looks back at me, his eyes like saucers. He's terrified of something, and I don't think it's just me. "Tim?" I ask. "You got something to say?"

"Don't get dead, okay?" Tim asks.

I'm surprised. Does the kid actually care about me? I mean, sure, I've tried to look out for him, but why would he be worried about someone he hardly knows?

"I won't die," I promise him. "I'm better than that."

"You're not immortal," Stevie points out to me. "Don't make promises you can't keep. We've had enough of that." She sounds so bitter. I know instantly she's thinking about her father.

"You guys okay?" I ask.

"We're fine. Let's _go_, Timmy." She practically drags the kid away.

I don't know why, but I feel bad leaving those two behind. Tim's gotten sort of attached to me, and maybe I'm starting to get attached to having them around.

"Don't go soft," I scold myself. "You can't lose sight of the goal. You have a quest."

"_We_ have a quest, actually," Ian corrects me. I nearly jump out of my damn skin.

"Dude! Do _not_ sneak up on me! I'm dangerous. I could hurt you."

"I'll keep that in mind. So, are you up for this or not?"

"Of course I am," I say. "Is that even a question?"

"Well, you don't seem too big on me and Tara, so..."

"I'm not. So what? It's about the quest, not the fun times with new friends and warm fuzzies."

"Warm fuzzies? Can a Son of Ares legally say that?"

I glare at him. My father would probably kick my butt over that choice of words. "Just be ready by morning, or I'll leave without you."

"Right. Because being alone on a quest worked so well for you the last time."

I can't stop myself. I attack him before I even realize I'm moving, pinning him against the tree and punching him in the face several times. He tries to fight me, but it doesn't last long. I barely register when he stops struggling.

It's only when I feel heat scalding my flesh that I let him go. Ian falls against the ground gasping, but that means he's alive, so I guess it's not a bad thing. My right arm has a red hand print singed into it.

I spin around to see who grabbed me. I'm startled to realize it's Tara.

"That was a bad move," she informs me. Her face is filled with so much rage I am waiting for her to punch me. I can tell she's thinking about it. This is the first time I'm really seeing Tara. She's actually sort of hot, and not just in the she-can-apparently-burn-my-flesh eyes have flames in them.

I realize it would be stupid to move. "Tara-" I begin. "Tara, listen. I didn't mean to hurt him. I got mad. It was an accident. I didn't even realize I was doing it until it was too late."

"You're a bully, Cody! I _hate_ bullies!" She pauses. "I mean, I _think_ I do... Oh, damnit. I have no idea if I hated bullies before, alright? But I _definitely_ hate them now."

I can't help it. I laugh. I think she might attack me over that, but after a second, she laughs, too. Soon, it gets louder, and we're both hysterical. It's been a rough day. We needed this. "I am pathetic," she says as she continues laughing. "I've really got to figure this out."

"Um... Hysterical as this all is, I'm sort of... ow..." Ian mentions.

Tara kneels beside him, and I stand over them. "Crap... Crap, Ian, I'm sorry," I say. He's in bad shape. He's gushing blood from his nose and mouth and I know his eye is going to swell shut. This isn't the way to start off on a new quest with people who don't know me.

"It's fine," he says. "It's just a flesh wound."

"Ian, this isn't the time for bad British humor," Tara scolds. She puts her hands over him and seems to be taking inventory of his wounds.

"Tara... How did you know what I was quoting?"

"I don't know... That's a good question. I can remember stupid movies and I can't remember my life? What's wrong with me?"

"Nothing," I say firmly. I can see Ian's wounds starting to vanish. I don't know how, but she's healing him. "There's nothing wrong with you, Tara. You're actually pretty amazing."

Tara rolls her eyes. "No, he's right." Ian says. "I'm feeling a little better. How are you doing that?"

"I'm not," Tara insists.

"Tara, you're Apollo's. He's a God of medicine and healing and the sun. You're healing Ian. Just like you burned me. You've got his gifts," I tell her.

She looks skeptical. "There's no proof I'm doing this," she argues. She pulls her hands away from Ian.

Ian groans. "That was nice while it lasted," he says sadly.

"Proof enough?" I ask.

Tara puts her hands over Ian again. He relaxes, his wounds starting to close again. "This is so..." she begins.

"Awesome?" Ian suggests.

"Cool?" I ask.

"Weird. But yeah, it _is_ kind of awesome and cool..." Tara looks at me. "Is this normal?"

"Normal is a relative term in our world. But you're gifted, Tara. And that's a good thing." I look at her and I'm suddenly wondering if maybe this quest won't be so bad after all.


	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: I do not own most of these characters, although I wish I did. The only ones I do own are Tara, Ian, Cody, Stevie, and Tim. I also do not own Camp Halfblood or the wonderful world created by everyone's favorite troll.

Feedback is always welcome. :)

TARA's P.O.V:

CHAPTER SEVEN: I Consider Joining the Hunters of Artemis to Escape the Idiot Boys In My Life

I'm wide awake, as I usually am, just before the sun rises. I'm packed and ready to go on this quest when I spot Cody. He looks like he didn't get any sleep. I join him, deciding to try and be civilized since we are about to spend an as-yet undetermined amount of time together.

"Hey," I greet him.

Cody nods in my general direction, which I assume is his idea of acknowledging me.

"Where's Ian?" I ask.

He shrugs. "Not a morning person?" I ask. He shrugs again. Yep, he and I are going to have some epic conversations on this quest, I can totally tell.

Ian comes rushing toward us. He looks disheveled. His few personal possessions are trying to escape from the messy pile he's made in his bag, which he didn't bother to close. His hair's adorably unkempt and he's pulling on his brand new Camp Half Blood t-shirt when he reaches us.

"Sorry!" He says breathlessly. "Overslept."

"Okay, where do Demigods go for coffee?" I ask, because it's clear neither of the boys is very functional at this hour. They stare at me blankly. "Uh, hello? Is there a Starbucks around here? Or do we go to, like, Godbucks or something?"

We are barely outside the Camp's barriers when life returns to Cody. A punk girl stands in front of us and Cody is foaming at the mouth. "Get lost, Thalia," he spits at her.

"Hello to you, too, Son of Ares," she says with a roll of her eyes. "I'm here on orders."

"Are the Hunters crashing the camp again? Because you aren't welcome here."

"That's not your call, Moron, but no, it's just me. Lady Artemis has asked me to talk to you, Tara."

"Me?" I ask. Now I'm the one blinking in confusion. Artemis. I know that name. She's the Greek Goddess of the Moon and the Hunt, and she's supposed to be pretty awesome. For some odd reason, I find myself thinking of her as the Goddess of Girl Power and picturing her singing along to the Spice Girls. A guy who looks a lot like Will flashes into my head, doing an impression of that very image, and laughing. He has a great smile and it's comforting. I know him, but I can't remember why.

"Yes, you. She's asked me to give this to you before you leave for your quest." She hands me a smooth deep blue stone. "This talisman will protect you on your journey, and you can use it to call on your aunt if things are dire."

"My aunt?"

"You seem confused. Don't you remember me?"

I shake my head. I don't know what to say as I stare at the stone in my hand. It feels so familiar. Thalia is familiar, too. But I can't place either of them.

"Tara has amnesia," Ian supplies.

"We didn't know... Lady Artemis will be very upset. She likes you, Tara. She still wants you to join up with us," Thalia tells me.

"Join up?" I ask.

"No way! She's not some lesbian, so don't try to recruit her," Cody says sharply. I have no idea why he cares if I "join up" or why he assumes I'm not a lesbian. I mean, I'm pretty attracted to boys, so I guess I'm not, but what if I'm bisexual? I don't actually know, and that realization bothers me a bit.

"Listen, Cody, just because I'm smart enough to realize boys are idiots doesn't mean I'm a lesbian, either. So back the hell off with that homophobic talk!" Thalia says before punching him in the face. Cody is about to swing back at her when Ian grabs his arm.

"Dude! She's a girl. You can't hit a girl," Ian argues.

"She's a Hunter. They don't count," Cody argues.

I think he might actually hit her, so I interrupt. "What does she want me to join?"

Thalia calms down and turns her attention to me. "The Hunt. We're her immortal companions, fighting the good fight, hunting the good hunt, and staying the hell away from stupid boys. You've got the soul of a warrior, Tara. Artemis respects you."

"And she's my aunt... And we've met?"

"You and your father backed all of us up in a fight a few months ago."

"My father?"

"Yeah, your father. Apollo. Brother of Artemis. Sun God. Healer. Writer of really, really bad Haikus."

"He writes Haikus?"

"He tries. They seriously suck."

"That's an understatement," Cody mumbles under his breath.

"Did I want to join the Hunt?" I ask.

"You considered it, but you didn't want to leave Apollo. Most Gods don't want anything to do with their demigod offspring, but Apollo's attached to you. He can't manifest on the Earth often, but he did it for you. He's been looking for you. You got hurt and he lost track of you. He was so relieved when you found your way to camp. He came straight to Lady Artemis to let her know you were safe."

My dad cares about me. Well, that's good to know. "I don't remember him... Or her... Or anything." I shake my head. "Amnesia sucks. Where is he now, anyway? Maybe he can fill in the blanks for me."

"Zeus has called him back to Olympus. He can't help right now."

"Great. Because Olympic business is more important than your own kid. Right."

"Welcome to the Demigod life," Cody says. He looks genuinely upset, but not with me, or even with Thalia. "My dad only comes around to bark out orders, make demands, and tell me what a disappointment I am." He freezes, clearly embarrassed he admitted that aloud. "Don't you dare repeat that, Thalia."

"No worries. I get it. My dad's the big guy, remember? I never see him, even though I'm back from the dead, and he's clearly warped. His idea of saving me was turning me into a tree. A damned tree! Seriously? What the hell, Dad?" Thalia asks. "All of our parents suck."

"Who's your father?" I ask.

"Tree? Thalia? Oh wait! You're Zeus's daughter, right? My brothers told me all about your tree." Ian says in excitement.

"That's me. Tree Girl," Thalia replies.

"Any idea what our quest is?" Cody asks her. "Since Artemis sent you and all?"

"No. She just said it's very important and very dangerous. Why they'd send poor Tara off with two boys is beyond me... It's not too late, you know. You can join us and change your fate. I did it."

"She's not joining your stupid little club! Let it go!"

"Cody, you don't speak for me. Why are you so against this?" I demand.

"He's just pissed off because of Kalena," Thalia says with a nasty grin.

"Shut up! Just shut up about her!" Cody shouts.

Ian, sensing good gossip, says, "Who's Kalena?"

"No one. She's not anyone at all."

"She's a Hunter of Artemis and a daughter of Hecate," Thalia provides. "Until six months ago, she was also Cody's girlfriend."

"She broke up with you to join the Hunt?" I ask. "Why couldn't she do both?"

"No boys. It's a rule," Thalia explains. "We give up boys as part of our oath to Artemis."

"She chose the Hunt over love? Wow. That's hardcore."

"Talk about rejection! No wonder you're so bitter," Ian says.

Before I can stop him, Cody's attacking Ian. He gets in three punches before Thalia rips them apart. She's pretty strong.

"Shut the hell up! You don't know a damned thing!" Cody tells him.

"Cody... Calm down," I say. "Ian was just trying to get a rise out of you."

"Successfully, I might add," Ian says.

"Not helping," I point out to him.

Cody tries to lunge at Ian again, but I grab his arm. "Stop! Seriously, this is stupid."

"Boys. Stupid. Same thing," Thalia informs me.

"You're just pissed Luke turned evil, you dyke!" Cody shouts.

Okay, now I'm pissed. I punch Cody in the chest hard. He freezes in place and stares at me. I think it's with a mix of shock and respect.

"Don't use that word," I say calmly. "It's rude."

"Sorry," he says.

Did Cody just apologize? The apocalypse has come. "Seriously?" I ask.

"Yeah. You're right. It was a jerk thing to say. I'm not some homophobe. I just really hate the Hunters."

"Because of Kalena?"

"Because I'm a son of Ares, and my father's kids all hate them. Also, every time they come to Camp, all hell breaks loose."

"Well maybe if you didn't pick fights with us-" Thalia starts.

"The Hunters fight with everyone. Even the Aphrodite kids hate you guys. You're so against love and everything... Whatever. It doesn't matter. I shouldn't have gone there. Sorry. Let's move on."

I can tell Thalia wants to argue, but I don't let her. "We're good. Thank Artemis for me... And tell her I appreciate the invite, but I've got a quest to do," I say. The boys may be being idiots, but Thalia is no better, and I can't just up and join my aunt's group of boy-hating Hunters when I don't even know who I am.

Thalia nods. "I'll let her know. Good luck." She walks away.

Cody is looking at me with softer eyes than before. I must be imagining things, because the look vanishes almost as soon as I see it. Ian is keeping his distance from Cody. He's probably afraid he's going to get hit again.

"Now," I say, "to find that coffee..."


	8. Chapter 8

Disclaimer: I do not own most of these characters, although I wish I did. The only ones I do own are Tara, Ian, Cody, Stevie, and Tim. I also do not own Camp Halfblood or the wonderful world created by everyone's favorite troll.

Feedback is always welcome. :)

IAN's P.O.V:

CHAPTER EIGHT: I Heart Me Some Eye Candy

We are caffeinated! I am a little disappointed that Tara was wrong and there is no such thing as Godbucks, but I gladly down my Starbucks all the same. We're just coming out of there when I see him.

He's dark. That's the first thing I notice. He's also kind of hot. I didn't say anything when Cody was making his homophobic comments to Thalia, but I am still really annoyed with him. I don't do labels. I don't call myself gay or bi or anything. I'm attracted to people, not their gender. But boy oh boy, am I attracted to this kid!

He looks at me and our eyes lock. His quickly turn to the floor. Tara nearly bumps into me as I study him. "Ian?" She asks. "You okay?"

"Yeah," I say. "So, where to first? We're on a quest and we have no idea where we're going, right? Fun! Let's go have an adventure!"

The kid looks up. Now he's studying me. Actually, he's studying us. He looks at the t-shirt peaking out from under my jacket and his eyes widen.

Cody comes up behind me and freezes. "Di Angelo," he mumbles. "Great. Where that kid goes, trouble follows. He's a son of Hades. Watch your back."

The boy stares at him as recognition dawns. "Cody," he says. He seems nervous. I notice he looks around. "Are you guys the only ones here?"

"What's it to you?" Cody asks.

"Hi," I say, annoyed at the rudeness Cody is showing yet again. "I'm Ian and this is Tara. And you are...?"

He looks at me and I like the way his eyes feel on me. Yep, I'm crushing.

"Nico Di Angelo," he says. "Son of Hades."

"I'm the son of Hermes, and Tara's the daughter of Apollo."

"Right. I should go."

"Nico, wait," Cody says reluctantly. "Why are you here?"

"I was thirsty."

"For the blood of children? Oh, wait, you're a son of Hades, so you're just another poser goth kid drinking coffee, right?"

I want to punch him, but Tara gets there first. She whacks him hard in the chest and I burst out laughing. Even Nico smirks.

"Quit being such a jerk all the time!" Tara yells at him.

"Quit hitting me every five seconds!" Cody retorts.

"When you can go ten without saying something rude!"

Nico looks at me and I start laughing harder. "She's good for him," Nico decides. "It's refreshing to see someone who won't take his crap."

Cody glares at him. "Seriously, why are you here, Di Angelo?"

"I've come for your soul," Nico says dryly. "But I just realized you don't have one."

Cody looks like he might swing at Nico but one stern look from Tara stops him. "Sorry," he mumbles.

"Seriously, though, what are the chances of us running into a random demigod at Starbucks? There's got to be a reason you're here. Do you know something about our quest?" I ask.

Nico shakes his head. "My dad said I should be here, now. That was all I got. But I agree there's probably a reason I'm here," he says.

"So join us," I say. I hope I don't sound too enthusiastic. I can't explain why I'm so drawn to the guy, but I really like the idea of adding him to our quest.

"I don't do group activities," Nico says. "My quests are usually solo."

"Because you're a freak," Cody mumbles. He yelps as Tara kicks him. I start laughing again.

"Nico, I don't believe in coincidences... I don't think," Tara says. "So you need to come with us, at least for now. Ignore Cody. The rest of us do."

Nico looks reluctant, but says, "Fine. Until we figure out what's going on, I'm with you guys. So where are we going?"

"We were hoping you could tell us."

"Boston," I say.

"Huh?" Cody asks me.

"We're going to Boston."

"How the hell do you know where we're going all of a sudden?"

"Because that dude is holding a sign that says 'Boston: Fun For All! Great Tourist Spots And Tons of Places to Hide From Monsters!' I think that last part was directed at us."

Cody blinks at the sign. "He's right."

The guy holding the sign waves at us.

"Oh, hey Hermes," Nico says.

"Hermes? Wait, what?" I asks. Am I really looking at my father?

"Son!" He greets me warmly with a big hug. "Good to see you! And hello, Nico. And, um... You two lovely demigods."

'"Son?' That's all you have to say to me?" I demand.

He looks wounded. "I'm Tara, and this is Cody," Tara supplies.

"We've met," Cody says.

"Cody, right! Son of Ares. How are you?" Hermes asks.

"Quit hugging me!" I say, breaking his hold. "You are missing for my entire life and then you hug me? I don't hug strangers!"

Tara and Cody stare at me. They've never seen me upset. I don't usually get upset in general, but something about my father acting like we're best friends really pisses me off.

"Ian," Tara says gently. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine. So, Boston? Great. Red Sox. Let's go."

"Wait! I need to warn you, this won't be easy," Hermes says.

"It never is," Nico says. He stepped closer to me when I started freaking out and I don't even think he realized he did it. I like how close he is. I lean toward him. He moves away slightly, but not as much as I think he was initially going to.

"Look, you need to watch your backs, okay? Look out for monsters. Oh, and watch for trolls. There's a really nasty one living out there. He'll throw you straight into Tartarus if you're not careful!"

Nico stiffens at the mention of Tartarus. I touch his arm. He lets my hand linger for a moment before he jerks away.

"What else do we need to know?" Cody asks.

"You'll find out more when you get there. For now, here. I've got bus tickets for you." He hands them to us. "And Ian? I'm sorry I haven't been around. I'm a pretty busy guy, but I don't want you to think I don't care about you. I made the mistake of staying away from another special son of mine, and it ended... badly. I won't do that again."

"Luke." Cody supplies.

"The one you were harassing Thalia about?" Tara asks.

"One and the same. He became the vessel for Kronos." Hermes cringes. "Sorry. I didn't mean to bring up painful memories. He died a hero, for what it's worth."

My father looks so upset, I suddenly can't hate him as much. "Thanks, Dad," I say to him.

He nods. "If you need me, Nico knows how to reach me. Good luck, guys." With that, he vanishes. I am left with no idea what to say.


End file.
